Making a basic cushion: Difference between revisions

Cushions are one of the easiest soft furnishing items to make, provided you keep things simple. A cushion can be made within an hour if you have the items needed and you set aside the time to sit down and focus on it fully.

Super easy cushion

This can be made by hand or using a sewing machine. It really is so easy that it's a good project for self-teaching simple sewing.

1. Find the fabric. Repurpose two cloth handkerchiefs, cloth serviettes/napkins, tea towels or similar pre-cut squares or rectangles of fabric. They must be equal size, or you must be happy to cut them to the same size. The idea is to rummage through your fabric piles and find things that aren't being used already.
2. Find some stuffing. This can be the standard stuffing/filling purchased from a craft store, or you can get creative and use stuffing you've creatively decided will serve as stuffing. This could be old (but clean) tights/pantyhose, scraps of fabric, raggy old towels cut up, dried leaves, dried flower buds, whatever you have large quantities of that will be comfortable as stuffing. You'll also need:
   • Scissors
   • Needle and thread/sewing machine with thread
   • Decorative items (optional).
3. Start the stitching. Place the two pieces of fabric, good side facing inward, next to each other so that they match evenly. Pin in place, then stitch around three sides of the fabric, leaving one side open. On the open side, stitch in about a quarter to half of the way each side, then stop, leaving a small opening for the stuffing in the middle. Knot the ends to prevent unravelling.
4. Turn the stitched fabric inside out, taking care to push out the corners out neatly so that that they sit square and straight.
5. Stuff the cushion until it is to your liking. Make it as firm or as loose as you need it to be.
6. Stitch up the remaining hole. Finish with a neat little knot to prevent unravelling. Cut away any excess thread.
7. Plump the cushion stuffing a little to ensure that the stuffing is evenly distributed. All done. You have one nice little cushion!

This cushion can be enhanced with the addition of such things as lace, buttons, felt cut-outs, printed words, etc. Use fabric glue if you don't want to stitch things in place.

Other ideas

To come :)

Gallery of possible cushions

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  Put some granny squares together, with or without a fabric piece, for a neat cushion

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  Do some embroidery on the cushion to create a pretty design

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  Sew a button into the centre of the cushion for a simple finish